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For many years, farmers in Ndumberi, Kiambu County have been struggling to feed their dairy cows in the dry season. With the usual green fodder unavailable at this time, farmers are forced to spend lots of money and travel long distances for feed.

"We have been purchasing hay from the Delamere Farm which is about 100 km away, at a cost of KeS 180 – 250 per bale (£1.30 to £1.85)," says Jane Muya, a dairy farmer and the general manager of Ndumberi Dairy Cooperative. Lack of adequate and good quality feed is not a problem only experienced in Ndumberi, but in many parts of Kenya, and one of the reasons annual milk shortages persist.

The Kenya Market Assistance Programme (Map) an M4P (making markets work for the poor) programme financed by DFID, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and the Dutch Government and implemented by a consortium led by Adam Smith International, is helping the farmers to address the problem.

Map has supported two cooperatives, Ndumberi and Nyala in Kiambu and Laikipia counties respectively, to establish a limited liability partnership named Hay and Forage. Through this partnership, the cooperatives have leased 1,200 acres of land in Nyahururu with the objective of producing and baling hay. Hay production will not only reduce dependency on green fodder but is also commercially viable. Currently, the land has the ability to produce as much as 240,000 bales of hay from the existing grass.

By the end of October 2012, Ndumberi Cooperative had already sold 10,000 bales of hay to its members. "When the trailer brought in the hay, the first eight trips were like a stampede," said Edwin Njau, the chairman of Ndumberi Cooperative.

Hay from the cooperatives costs only KeS 120 (90p) and this, together with its guaranteed quality has made it very popular among the farmers. "Through Map's support we have been able to drive down costs of hay in the short term. The next step is to sustain this production cost and thus increase farmers' awareness of hay as a solution for improving productivity," said Jane. This will be done first through the purchase of a baler.

Map is also supporting the cooperatives to improve the nutritional content of the hay by connecting them to soil experts. Farmers who have purchased the hay say they have seen improvement in milk productivity in less than a month. "Since I started buying hay, my milk production has gone up by at least three litres," said Hellen Njeri, a farmer with 10 cows.

"We would like to reach a point where farmers value hay as integral to their dairy herd feeding regime, and in doing so are able to afford to feed their cows on a bale of hay each day," says Annah Macharia from Map.

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